The present invention relates to an x-ray film holder for use with dental simulation models. In particular, the x-ray film holder includes a base for holding a portion of the dental simulation model anterior to an x-ray film also held by the x-ray holder for taking x-rays of the dental simulation model.
Dental simulation models are well known for teaching the art of dentistry. Typically, dental simulation models are used in dental schools, and particularly in the dental licensure examination, to simulate teeth 2 and gums 3 of a human mouth. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a conventional dental simulation model 1 that includes an upper or lower arch 4, 5 or both, as shown in FIG. 1, or only one of the upper or lower arches 4, 5 or a section or sextant 6 of one of the upper or lower arches 4, 5, as shown in FIG. 2. The sextant 6 (FIG. 2) is selectively removable from the dental simulation model 1 so it can be examined by an aspiring dentist, an instructor or an examiner. The sextant 6, for example, may include an indent 7, between two teeth 2 that is filed with resin that replicates a decayed tooth (not shown) for simulating an endodontic procedure.
After a procedure is performed on the dental simulation model 1 or an x-ray is otherwise required, the sextant 6 is removed from the dental simulation model 1 and taken to an x-ray machine for x-raying. The x-ray machine is too expensive and large to be provided for individual dental chairs, so moving the sextant 6 to the x-ray machine allows for multiple students to share one or more x-ray machines.
The sextant 6 is then placed within an open-topped box that is slightly larger than the sextant 6 along with a digital or traditional electromagnetic radiation x-ray film which is positioned along one side of the box. However, the sextant 6 may move unintentionally with respect to the film as the box is being positioned for x-raying or a student may attempt to cheat by altering the angle of the sextant 6 with respect to the x-ray film from the standard angle for the taking of x-rays to achieve a desired appearance of the drilling and or filling performed on the sextant 6.
What is therefore needed, but not provided in the prior art, is an x-ray film holder that releasably holds the sextant 6 in place at a fixed location and/or orientation relative to the x-ray film, a means to indicate on the resulting x-ray film the orientation of the sextant 6 with respect to the x-ray film, and a means to hold x-ray films of various film thicknesses.